WATCHES AND CLOCKS AND PARTS THEREOF. SUMMARY. There were 119 establishments, employing 23,328 wage earners, manufacturing watches and clocks and parts thereof in the United States in 1914. The total capital invested amounted to $62,470,000, and the value of the product was $35,177,431. The domestic consumption of watches and parts of watches was approximately $1,200,000 larger than the domestic production, whereas the domestic production of clocks exceeded the consumption by about $600,000 in 1914. Between 5 and 7 per cent of the American production of watches is exported, being sent to practically all the important foreign countries, but chiefly to the United Kingdom and Canada. These two countries also take about one-half of the total exports of clocks, which amount to between 10 and 14 per cent of domestic production. In the manufacture of American watch movements, it is said, 90 per cent of the total cost is labor cost. The United States makes more extended use of machinery in the manufacture of watches and clocks than does any other country. Nickel and jewels are the only raw materials imported. Nickel is received mostly from Canada in the form of matte, which is refined in this country. The United States is almost entirely dependent upon foreign countries for its supply of jewels; these have been obtained in Switzerland, Germany, and Italy. The chief watch-producing centers of the United States are in Massachusetts and Illinois, and the chief clock-producing centers in Connecticut and New York. Statistics of American watch manufacture, while showing an upward trend, indicate an unsteady and somewhat undecided course for the industry. The growth of the clock industry has been more steady, developing more in size than in number of establishments. Switzerland, the largest producer of watches in Europe, is the keenest competitor of the United States in both the domestic and foreign markets. In 1917 Switzerland's sales of watches to foreign countries were approximately 23 times larger than those of the United States; its sales of complete watches and movements to this country have been increasing in amount steadily. Total imports from Switzerland trebled in value since 1916 (1916 to 1919), and statistics of that country show that the amount of exports to the United States have of late years been larger than to any other country. Most of the watches imported from the United Kingdom are of Swiss origin. There were, in 1919, some 6,000 establishments making watches in Switzerland, and the large and continued import of Swiss watches is said by domestic producers to be brought about mainly by the activity of Swiss manufacturers' representatives in the United States, who not only carry a great variety of styles and sizes, but can make 63189-21-0-262 prompt deliveries, and it is said, can meet any prices made by Ameri can manufacturers on domestic watches. Furthermore, the tradi tional reputation of the Swiss watch is a factor of no little importance in the domestic market. The average American consumer purchases the foreign watch as readily as one of domestic make. Before the war clocks were received chiefly from Germany, and since the war mainly from France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Watches, clocks, and parts of-Summary table. • See imports for consumption. 5 Census year 1909. Does not include watch materials. Materials for both watches and clocks ($675,292) are included under clocks and parts of. Includes $1,161,354 for watches made by establishments engaged primarily in manufacturing other products, chiefly clocks. 1 Census year 1909. Includes also watch and clock materials, $675,292. Includes $938,091 for clocks made by establishments engaged primarily in the manufacture of other products, chiefly watches. See imports for consumption. Dials, enameled, and dial plates, for watches and other instruments-Summary table. GENERAL INFORMATION. TARIFF PARAGRAPH, ACT OF 1913. PAR. 161. Watch movements whether imported in cases or not, watchcases and parts of watches, chronometers (box or ship) and parts thereof, lever clock movements having jewels in the escapement and clocks containing such movements, all other clocks and parts thereof not otherwise provided for in this section, whether separately packed or otherwise, not composed wholly or in chief value of china, porcelain, parian, bisque, or earthenware, 30 per cent ad valorem: all jewels for use in the manufacture of watches, clocks, or meters, 10 per cent ad valorem; time detectors, 15 per cent ad valorem; enameled dials and dial plates for watches or other instruments, 30 per cent ad valorem: Provided, That all watch and clock dials, whether attached to movements or not, shall have indelibly painted or printed thereon the name of the country of origin, and that all watch movements and plates, lever clock movements with jewels in the escapement, whether imported assembled or knocked down for reassembling, and cases of foreign manufacture shall have the name of the manufacturer and country of manufacture cut, engraved, or die sunk conspicuously and indelibly on the plate of the movement and the inside of the case, respectively, and the movements and plates shall also have marked thereon by one of the methods indicated the number of jewels and adjustments, said numbers to be expressed either in words or in Arabic numerals; and if the movement is not adjusted, the word "unadjusted" shall be marked thereon by one of the methods indicated; and none of the aforesaid articles shall be delivered to the importer unless marked in exact conformity to this direction. DESCRIPTION. Clock. A mechanical instrument for measuring and indicating the time of day, usually by a mechanism consisting of two distinct portions: First, a train or succession of toothed wheels for transmission to a definite point of a motive force, produced by a weight or spring or the action of an electric current on an electromagnet or system of magnets; and, second, an escapement to regulate the expenditure of this motive force with uniformity and requisite slowness. Watch. A small portable timepiece or timekeeper that may be worn on the person, operated by power stored in a coiled spring, and capable of keeping time when held in any position. The escape pivots and the fourth-wheel pivots of watches usually run in holes made of jewel to diminish the wear and friction. The watch is then said to have four pairs of holes jeweled or to be jeweled in eight holes. In addition the acting parts of the pallets and the impulse pin of the escapement are always hard stones. Sometimes all of the holes are jeweled. In the best class of work sapphires or rubies are used, and in the commonest grades garnet is used. Chronometer.- Specifically, a timekeeper of great accuracy designed to be used for determining the longitude at sea, or for other purposes where a very exact measurement of time is required. The marine chronometer differs from the ordinary watch in the principle of its escapement, which is so constructed that the balance is free from the wheels during the greater part of its vibration, and also in being fitted with a compensation adjustment, calculated to prevent the expansion and contraction of the metal by the action of heat and cold from affecting its movements. The balance spring of the chronometer is helicoidal, that of the watch spiral. The pocket chronometer does not differ in appearance from a watch, except it is somewhat larger. Time detector.-A watch or clock used as a check upon a watchman and arranged to indicate any neglect or failure in making his rounds. The watch is carried by the man, who has access at certain points on his rounds to keys which can be inserted to mark an inclosed dial slip. The clock is stationary at some point which the watchman must pass, and he is required at each passage to press a button or peg which makes some recording mark. A detailed description of the various parts of a watch may be consulted by reference to proper file at the office of the U. S. Tariff Commission. DOMESTIC PRODUCTION. Size of the industry.-In 1914 there were 119 establishments in the United States engaged in the manufacture of watches and clocks and parts thereof; the wage earners numbered 23,328 and the value of the finished product was $34,153,000. Of this production, watches and watch materials were valued at $22,330,000 and clocks and clock materials at $11,823,000. The maximum capacity of American watch manufactures is estimated by a producer at 10,000 per day, of all kinds. Raw materials. The value of raw materials entering into the manufacture of complete watches is small compared to the total cost of the watch, the value depending largely upon the grade of the watch. According to the 1914 report of the United States Bureau of the Census the value added by manufacture amounted to 81.30 per cent in the case of watches and 57.43 per cent in the case of clocks of the total value of the products. The modern method of manufacturing watch and clock movements requires the use of gold, nickel, brass, steel, and jewels of sapphire, ruby, and garnet. In watch cases are used gold, silver, nickel, brass, and gun metal, besides various alloys known under the trade names of silveroid, nickel silver, and the like. Materials used largely in making clock cases are wood, metal, china, porcelain, parian, bisque, marble, earthenware, stoneware, and crockery ware. Chief sources of materials. The domestic supply of raw materials is deficient only in nickel and jewels, of which foreign supplies have been secured without much difficulty. Nickel, under the act of 1913, is imported free of duty, chiefly from Canada in the form of matte, and refined in this country. Jewels have been obtained chiefly in Switzerland and Germany, and in recent years also from Italy Jewels carry a duty of 10 per cent ad valorem, and practically all used in this country are imported. Most manufacturers of watches import their hairsprings, some import their balance wheels. Many manufacturers, especially of the lower grades of watches, import their dials. Before the European war all watch crystals used in the manufacture of watches in the United States were imported. The manufacture of watchcases is now conducted by all manufacturers of the better grade watches as a separate industry. The movements are made to standard sizes and qualities and then sold at wholesale to jobbers and also to watch Tariff Hearings, H. Doc. No. 1447, p. 1832, and letter from manufacturer. |